Brockers

Thanks for that. The managing agent wants to fit the heat detector inside my flat, with additional devices for the alarm and button. Since these are interlinked with the communal area, and other tenant, I am worried about the intrusive nature of use of what is "guidance" and or "law". How can the law retrospectively creat an easement into my property'? A question for a lawyer I know. Buts isn't LACORs simply guidance anyway? The concern is where does it all stop once you let them in.

Hi there, Tom. I'm a bit concerned that the regulations are being applied against leaseholders in order to subsides upgrades to social tenanted properties. I'm the leaseholder of a flat, one of two in a Victorian conversion. The other flat is occupied by the social tenant and the housing association acts on behalf of the council freeholder for us both. The first thing I noted was that the managing agent ripped out the perfectly adequate hall lights and introduced emergency lighting. The fire risk assessment stated that none was needed as the hallway is tiny. So here am I faced with a hefty bill for a fire assessment, asbestos assessment, management assessment, new emergency lighting, a landlords electricity meter (recently introduced), and for monitoring of the system and maintenance. This did not come cheap! (Then there is the legionella assessment... and so on?) Now the managing agent is insisting on entering my flat to introduce a heat detector, with additional sirens, etc, which they will monitor. I have resisted this because I do not want to be disturbed by the constant false alarms due to the tenant smoking in her flat. The communal hallway, which is tiny, now has a smoke alarm, fire button, fire safety advice stickers, monitoring unit, etc - and for which I have to pay 50% of over-inflated costs. It seems way over the top and is causing me a great deal of stress. (There are so many of their "operatives" visiting that they may as well move in!) Still they now want me to change the front door to my flat, and the glass above it all under the auspices of fire safety. I pointed out to them that there are emergency exits at the rear, and that if I change the door and seal the frame the smoke won't get to the systems they have introduced in the hallway - but all to no avail. (The assessor did not enter the flats when doing the assessment and the hallway is all that is shared, not the stairs. The worry advice came for the council's safety officer who told me to "stay put" in the event of a fire!) Where oh where will this end - can they do this? By the way I have adequate smoke alarms in my flat. I just don't want to link up to their tenant or her guests.